Rehearsing Campus: the Liturgy Arts Group
by Sindey Amar ‘24
photos by Monica Baldyga ‘23
Wednesday 4:00 pm Rehersal with LAG.
Wednesdays always seem to have an early start and a late finish. You've trudged through three long classes, but thankfully you're wrapping up now. Gasson's bells echo through campus, and you count on your fingers with enthusiasm: one, two, three, four.
It’s four o’clock. You glance out a window overlooking Stokes Amphitheater as familiar faces below walk the ramp towards Upper. Following shortly behind the trail of Freshman, you're on your way to LAG Rehearsal. You're a member of the Liturgy Arts Group: L.A.G.
Mass of the Holy Spirit, O’Neil Plaza.
You take the short-cut to Upper through Eagles Nest, wave at the LAG office in Mac (McElroy) 233, and make a dash, hiking Upper's killer stairs. Your out-of-breath panting brings you back to Freshman year when you first heard about the Liturgy Arts Group on Campus. It was during the Mass of the Holy Spirit, a tradition that you never heard of before BC that managed to completely encapsulate you in the Jesuit heritage. The singers that day were beaming, all seemingly great friends, all totally calm in front of hundreds of their roommates, classmates, teammates, dorm-mates, and families watching their performance. The O'Neill Quad came to life under LAG's voices, guided by Director Meyer Chambers; full SATB harmonies–which you somehow only realized means soprano, alto, tenor, bass, this year–, soothing soloists, LAG even had bells! Their performance didn't distract from the Mass, but enriched the spiritual atmosphere of that beautiful, sunny September morning. Your friend, who came only to check out the odd-sounding tradition, gave LAG the biggest compliment imaginable: LAG made him enjoy the service. “Good music is always a good time, even in Church,” he chuckled. It was miracle! He didn’t complain. After that, you knew you had to join LAG, and you’ve been there ever since. Even as an Upperclassmen, you're still running late up the steps across CoRo.
St. Joseph’s Chapel, 149 Hammond St., Chestnut Hill
Finally, you take a deep breath under FitzAga. You made it to St. Joe's Chapel. Walking in and down the stairs, you hear this week's prayer leader and 2022 President Sarah Ryan call all LAG members into a large circle in the middle of the chapel. You look around at your choirmates, your friends, even one of your roommates. Unlike Sundays, where you only see the people in St. Joe's chapel with you, all chapels are present at rehearsal, something usually reserved for big Advent-Christmas Masses, the yearly out-of-state group trip, or retreats. Lots of people in LAG actually stick with their Freshman chapel all their years at BC, some taking the Newton bus to Sunday evening Mass at Trinity Chapel even as Seniors. One of those Newton Seniors, Sarah calls the group focus to gratefulness: for life, for being present in the moment and being present to sing, to play an instrument, to make music with a community you cherish and that cherishes you. Following the Campus Ministry tradition, Sarah asks everyone if they have any special prayer intentions:
Opening prayer circle.
'I'd like to pray for all the freshman in Gen Chem preparing for our test tomorrow'
You hear a few mutters of support from the other new faces in the circle. Wow, you think. All these freshmen are spending over an hour here today singing, even though they have to study for their first big exam.
'Lord, hear our prayer!'
'I'd like to pray for everybody trying to find a job right now–a job that's right for them!'
Yeah, those are hard to come by these days. You are reminded of your friend, who just graduated with a Fine Arts degree, and has been freelancing between galleries since May. She's doing well for herself, but you pray that she's offered a permanent stay in the museum of her dreams.
'I'd like to pray for those suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.'
'Lord hear our prayer.'
'I'd like to pray for my grandmother.'
'Lord hear our prayer.'
All who wish to share are listened to patiently. Finally comes the moment you and the rest of the group have been waiting for: “Do we have anyone new in the circle today?” A few scared students look down to the floor and raise their hand, signaling a huge applause from the rest of LAG. After being kindly asked, the two new students share their names, current majors, chapels, and humble status of Freshmen. Although they already had their initial meeting with Meyer and know their voice part, this is their first time meeting the rest of the group. Then, the prayer circle breaks, and everyone settles down into their seats. You go to sit with the altos, behind the sopranos in the front, across from the bassists behind the tenors on the right.
Margaret Felice (religion and music teacher at BC High School) with the LAG singers.
It’s time to begin rehearsing. Everyone finds their binders in the carts that were hauled up the stairs into St. Joe's by the wonderful chapel representatives, Mary Clare Scalise ‘23 (St. Joe’s), Sarah Rembecki ‘25 (Trinity), and Caitlin LaValle ‘25 (St. Ignatius). Director Margaret Felice, Meyer's partner in Liturgical crime and St. Ignatius Music Director, warms up the group with long Aaaaaaaaaaaaas and Ooooooooooooos. These Hump Day yawns always seem to work off the week's stress and make everyone less dreadful about the remaining two days. For the moment, the singers are alone, the instrumentalists out of sight. Director Billy Kavula from Trinity Chapel is in the back leading pianists, violinists, cellists, bassists, guitarists, flutists, and other musicians in the back room of St. Joe's to tune, warm up, and play this week’s pieces surrounded by the colorful priests' vestments in the closet behind them.
Campus Minister Billy Kavula tuning with the LAG Instrumentalists.
Brief announcements by the e-board members brings everyone back together into the main chapel area. Now comes the climax of rehearsal: Meyer directing all of LAG together, all three chapels, all four class years, instrumentalists and singers alike. You run through the songs for this week's Sunday Mass, each voice melting together with the others, and all voices uplifted by the beautiful string and woodwind instruments around you. Words of comfort flow through the air: "Shelter Me O God," "Blest be the Lord," "Make me a Channel of Your Peace," and “How Can I Keep from Singing?” The psalmists –those who will sing at the ambo on the altar by themselves, leading the congregation during the Liturgy of the Word–practice their verses together with the rest of the choir jumping into the refrain. This week, the cantors–the choir members on single mic for the week, encouraging students to sing along with the words printed in their weekly Mass guide–have a solo. They sing their clear words above the overlapping harmonies of ear candy; anyone passing by St. Joe's right now would be captivated and compelled to join in the praise.
Campus Minister Meyer Chambers leading the whole group in practice.
At peace singing, swaying with the music, and listening to friendly chatter in between songs, you suddenly realize that Meyer is dismissing the group. How did over an hour pass by in mere minutes? You loiter in the chapel after practice, catching up with your friend from St. Igs on the newest episode of House of the Dragon, sharing insights from your philosophy class with the new bassist for St. Joe’s, and explaining why your other roommate couldn't make it to practice today. Don't worry: your roommate will just go to make-up rehearsals in the LAG Office at noon on Friday. Although you have less of a trek home than the Trinity freshman, you still have a long walk back to Lower Campus. But in LAG, you never have to walk alone. Accompanied by other upperclassmen, some a year or two younger than you, you march down BC's hills, grabbing dinner all together before going your separate way until Friday afternoon for the LAG Kickball BBQ and Sunday night for Mass.
Note: 'Rehearsing BC' is inspired by The Rehearsal by Nathan Fielder, on HBCMax.
Edited by: Sindey Amar 24’